Demaryius Thomas: I wasn't trying to put Tim Tebow down

After making what some viewed as backstabbing remarks about former teammate Tim Tebow in a radio interview, Broncos WR Demaryius Thomas is now backtracking.

"When I had my interview, I wasn't trying to go in the interview and just put Tebow down as a quarterback," Thomas told KKFN in Denver. "I was just answering the questions, you know? But ever since the interview, it's just been -- I've been getting badmouthed left and right. Like, 'You're not a good receiver anyway,' and all this and that."

Tebow famously hit Thomas for an 80-yard TD pass on the first play of overtime to beat the Steelers in the wild-card round of last season's playoffs -- a play that made former Denver coach Josh McDaniels look pretty smart after picking both players in Round 1 of the 2010 draft.

"(Tebow) gave me the chance to make plays," said Thomas while clarifying his earlier statements. "And I respect that, and I love Tim for that. It wasn't no hard feelings or nothing against Tim. He's a great player. If we had him, I'd love to have him. If we had him still, there wouldn't be no problem (with) me playing with him. It's just that we've got another quarterback now. I really don't talk ... much about Tim no more since he's not here with us."

It was a slightly different tune after Thomas' ill-advised remarks to 790 The Zone in Atlanta (he played collegiately at Georgia Tech) earlier in the week when he talked about the Broncos' "business decision" to dump Tebow after signing four-time MVP Peyton Manning last month.

"I ain't going to say I was sad (to see Tebow go) because the only thing they remember is that pass (against Pittsburgh)," Thomas said. "You gotta go back and look at the rest of the games. I wasn't getting no balls, and you had to make some of these plays where some players were open, and he is not making the throws. But I don't want to talk bad about Tim, but hey I am happy we got Peyton."

Thomas indicated there were varying opinions on Tebow's abilities as a quarterback in the Denver locker room.

"There wasn't much talk about him, but you know everything on ESPN was all about Tim," he said. "That bothered some players, too, because they would say 'Tim Tebow Time.' I felt like it was a team thing. If it wasn't for the defense most of the time, there wouldn't be no supposed 'Tim Tebow Time.' "

He did reveal that Tebow would get singled out in film sessions by other players.

"You would have people calling him out saying, 'Tim you gotta make that throw. You gotta read the defenses better,' " said Thomas. "Players on offense trying to get him better. That was basically it."

Thomas did praise Tebow's work ethic and said Jets QB Mark Sanchez will have a challenge while trying to hold off his new backup. Yet he stopped short of saying the Jets made a slam dunk move by acquiring the polarizing southpaw who helped lead the Broncos to the AFC West crown after a 1-4 start in 2011.

"I ain't going to say it was a good move, but I really don't know," said Thomas of the deal. "I feel like Tim can get better, but it is going to take some time because he's gotta read the defenses and throwing patterns. But I feel like he thinks he can go out there and take Sanchez's spot. I ain't going to talk bad about Sanchez, but he's not one of the best quarterbacks in the game, so I feel good about Tim going out there."

USA TODAY fantasy NFL guru Pete O'Brien also offers the following insight on the Teb0w-Thomas dynamic:

Coming off multiple injuries, Thomas made his 2011 season debut Week 7 in Miami, catching a touchdown against the Dolphins in a stunning 18-15 overtime victory.

He was used sparingly during the next five weeks as he rounded into shape. But beginning Week 13 against the Minnesota Vikings, Tebow targeted Thomas more than any other Bronco in seven consecutive games, which included the Broncos' two postseason outings. During that run, Thomas snared 35 balls for 745 yards and 4 TDs as Tebow looked his way 65 times.

If you extrapolate those numbers for a full 16-game schedule, Thomas would have led the NFL in receiving yards (1,703) and yards per catch (21.3), while finishing tied for sixth in TD receptions (9) and targets (149).

Of course, Thomas's projections would be better if he didn't drop a pass for every 5.3 he caught. That's among the worst catch-to-drop ratios in the league.

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About Nate Davis

Nate Davis is a reporter, blogger and editor who's been at USA TODAY since 2000. He has covered the NFL since 2005. No, he did not play quarterback for Ball State. Davis' succession of our esteemed colleague Sean Leahy at The Huddle is considered a Brady-for-Bledsoe swap by most "insiders."More about Nate